The multilateral assessment (MA) process is part of the international assessment and review (IAR) process for developed country Parties. The IAR process is conducted under the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and aims to promote the comparability of efforts among all developed country Parties with regard to their quantified economy-wide emission limitation and reduction targets.

The IAR process comprises two steps: a technical review of the national reports of each developed country, followed by the MA of the progress towards achieving the economy-wide target by developed country Parties.

The MA process entails three stages:

• the preparation for the MA before the SBI working group session - encompassing a three-month "questions and answers" period; more
• the international assessment during the SBI working group session; more
• and the completion of the Party record after the SBI working group session. more

The second round of the IAR started in January 2016, with the submission of the second biennial reports from Annex I Parties and the technical review of these reports by international expert review teams. 24 Annex I Parties have been multilaterally assessed during the MA session in Marrakech, Morocco, SBI45, while 17 Annex I Parties were multilaterally assessed during SBI 46 in Bonn, Germany (May 2017). The MA of Belarus has been postponed to the next session at SBI 47.

A total of 236 questions were received from 10 Parties, and all 18 Parties under assessment received at least 2 questions. The compilation of questions and answers is available on each MA Party page.

Timeline for the working group session of MA in Bonn, SBI 46:
	1 to 28 February 2017: submission of questions by any Party to the 18 Parties under MA - using the MA portal;
	1 March to 30 April 2017: Preparation of answers by Parties under MA and posting of answers - using the MA portal;
	By 4 May 2017: upload compiled questions and answers by the secretariat onto the individual Party page upon completion of answers by the Party;
	During SBI 46, May 2017, Bonn: 12 and 13 May - MA of 17 Parties' progress towards emission reduction target;
	June 2017: publication of summary reports for the Parties under MA.

To access the MA portal log-in credentials are required. All national focal points had been invited to submit nominations to the MA portal when the MA process started. Should further nominations be required national focal points are requested to contact the secretariat at MA-portal@unfccc.int.